


Crumbling Elegance

by Kanrose



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:29:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22869397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanrose/pseuds/Kanrose
Summary: By all accounts, it should have been a normal occasion. A meeting and a party. But... someone strange led Sharon astray.
Relationships: Alice/Sharon Rainsworth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Rudeness and Champagne

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! This is a Pandora Hearts AU I've been sitting on for a while. I usually get really flustered whenever I talk about PH, because its been my favorite manga ever since I was a little girl, but I decided to post this anyway. This AU is pretty different from the canon setting, but all of its little details will get hashed out as the fic continues on. To the few remaining active PH fans around, I hope you enjoy this!

Deft hands fastened her necklace and tied her bow. For a moment, they rested on her shoulders- possibly sensing her unease.

“My lady, if I can say so, I think you look picturesque. You needn’t be worried.”

“... Thank you. It’s not my appearance I’m nervous about, though. It’d be much simpler if it was only something like that.”

“But there’s nothing else that has to worry you so. Nobody there has known you as anything other than the esteemed heiress. They’re lucky to be in your presence, really. Arriving in tow with two of the five dukes is no small honor. It shows your status and importance greater than anything else could.”

“What if I can’t live up to it? What if I make a fool of myself? I feel as if the reputation of the family lays in my hands tonight, like a fragile little flower. Even the smallest wind could scatter its petals and leave it ugly.”

“If the family’s reputation was so easily tarnished, Lady Cheryl would have ruined it long ago.”

“Break!”

He laughed, apparently quite pleased with himself. 

“You’ve seen how she acts around Duke Barma, haven’t you?”

“W-Well, that’s different!”

“Not too far different from anything you could do tonight. Just let the dukes talk among themselves and focus on enjoying yourself, okay, my lady?”

Even though she pouted, she knew he was right. It was comforting. Not quite comforting enough to distill all of her fear, but a good attempt. 

“Shall we go? I believe Lady Cheryl and Duke Barma are in the carriage already. Liam will be the carriage leader today, so you can rest assured that we’ll be in good hands.”

“... Well, let’s not keep them waiting.”

The ride to Sablier always felt like it took ages. Break and the duke wasted no time engaging in idle banter. They always seemed like they wanted to kill each other in their snarky and sarcastic comments, but Sharon knew better. Deep down, they were probably great friends. 

“Oh? That’s quite some talk for the hatter I’ll see hanged one day!”

“My my, how fearsome and scary, especially coming from someone with hair as stupid as yours! I wonder how long that will last when you find yourself consumed by the flames of hell~!”

… Probably. 

She joined Cheryl in gazing out the window and admiring the view. The streets were dark and only lit by the soft moonlight from above. Not a soul could be found wandering about. Occasionally, another carriage would pass them by, offering the glow from their oil lamps for just a moment before disappearing into the night. There was something to be said about the drastic changes from night to day here. The transition between bustling city street and ethereal void were not so far apart, separated only by the rise and fall of the sun. The air had a ghostly cold to it like this, and thinking about it for too long made Sharon’s spine shiver. 

“... Peaceful, isn’t it, Sharon?”

Cheryl’s words brought her back to reality. 

“Hmm… it feels… lonely, more than anything.”

“Perhaps the two are closer than you think. Even if one is alone in the night, they have the peace of the stars and moon to share company with. It’s like a silent reflection on the world. I’ve learned to appreciate that sort of thing.”

“... I’d like to appreciate that, too. It’s certainly more serene than sharing a carriage with these two.”

Cheryl quietly laughed at that. As wrapped up as Break and Duke Barma were, they probably didn’t even notice. Seeing the duchess smile was rare, and even if the night outside was cold, it warmed things up just a bit. 

In Sablier proper, the air felt far more foreign to her. Even at night, the roads and houses lining the capital seemed proper and bourgeoisie. It was as if everyone here lived in a little slice of heaven, shielded from the outside world by the presence of the Baskerville house. Coming here was like walking into a dream, where the world was perfect and spotless. If there was a slum in Sablier, Sharon had never seen it. Perhaps they kept it tucked away like a little secret, separate from the luxurious lifes everyone else maintained. Their image mattered, after all. Perhaps it was something she could ask the new Baskerville duchess about, if the opportunity arose. In only a moment, they had stopped in front of the mansion’s steps, and what a mansion it was. Carriages were lined up down the street. How many nobles had accompanied them here tonight? It was truly setting itself up to be quite the party. Stepping out, Sharon checked over herself one last time to make sure she was as presentable as she could be. Break and Liam followed, each lifting off wheelchairs mounted on the back of the carriage for Cheryl and Duke Barma respectively. 

“Liam, you should let Lord Barma command the carriage next time. You and I could have a pleasant chat, and Lord Barma would be quite humbled!”

“Break, that’s-”

“One more word, Hatter, and you’ll find yourself at the guillotine tomorrow morning.” Duke Barma interrupted. 

Never an idle moment with those two around. Pacing behind the four of them up the ramps on the side of the stairway, a beautiful woman greeted them at the door. Was this the Baskerville duchess?

“Duke Barma and Duchess Rainsworth! We’re so honored to have you at the Baskerville house tonight! I am Miss Charlotte Baskerville, adviser and regent to the duchess. Please, come with me. The other dukes await you.”

Ah, so the real duchess was inside. Sharon wondered what kind of person she would end up being. Cheryl and Duke Barma never spoke of her. The inside of the mansion sparkled and shone with an intense light. It took a moment for Sharon’s eyes to adjust, but when they did, she saw couples from nobility all around the country talking, drinking, and dancing. She almost wished she could join them. Perhaps chat up someone kind, share a dance, sing together… her heart fluttered thinking about it. And yet… now probably wasn’t the time to indulge in her romantic wishes. This was important, after all. She gave herself a small slap on the cheeks to get focused. She had attended important meetings before, but none with all of the other dukes and duchesses. It was her time to learn what she would have to do in only a short few years, likely. Men in suits lined the hallways, and she realized they were most probably bodyguards sent from Pandora, the country’s special protection service to the dukes. They felt almost terrifying to look at, but she supposed it made sense, given their duty. She tried to keep her head down until they reached the meeting room. It was every bit as regal as the rest of the mansion, but the atmosphere was thick and oppressive. Servants(she presumed) and guards lined the walls, and Sharon immediately recognized Zai Vessalius and Raymond Nightray sitting at the large, round table. Each had several persons seated next to them. Next to Zai, there was… perhaps his brother? He looked similar in age and appearance to Zai, but a lot… scruffier. No, that was a bad thing to think, Sharon reprimanded herself. Raymond had with him two men who looked quite a bit more dashing than he did. How were they related to him? But, most importantly… where was the Baskerville duchess? Only a large, imposing sort of man with an odd face tattoo and a small girl with braids sat at the table also. They were likely related to the duchess somehow. Her husband and daughter, perhaps? Charlotte took a seat next to them, and Sharon sat herself next to Cheryl. 

“Welcome, everyone. I cannot be more pleased to have you all here today. Wonderful as the party is, we are gathered here to discuss the economic and social plans of the five dukedoms as it pertains to the upcoming decade. As you know, I am Charlotte, and I will be speaking on behalf of the duchess today. Don’t worry, we’ll try to keep this quick, and afterwards, those who wish can partake in the party and all the Baskerville house has to offer.”

‘On behalf of…?’ Sharon wondered to herself. Was she preoccupied? For a meeting as important as this, she figured that the duchess would at least bother to show up. It left a sort of sour taste in her mouth. Charlotte fumbled with a set of papers for a moment, before clearing her throat and beginning. 

“The first order of business is with the Barma household. Duke Barma, forgive me if this insensitive, but how do you plan to deal with your lack of an heir? This seems to be quite the problem for the household. If you have no one to pass the house onto, what will become of it?”

“The answer to that question is both segmented and simple, Miss Charlotte!” he proclaimed in a boast, “... The first solution is simple! I shall just… marry Duchess Rainsworth!”

Duke Nightray scoffed aloud, and the man with Duke Vessalius noticeably covered his mouth to silence a laugh. In a flash, Cheryl drew her fan and promptly whacked Duke Barma in the back of the head.

“This is a serious meeting, Ruf. Cease your foolish jokes immediately.”

Rubbing his head, he continued, “Rufus Barma never jokes! … However, another practical solution is this- you say I have no heir? Untrue! Indeed, there are those who carry this family’s blood regardless, even if they are not my direct descendant. Look no further than my invaluable and trusted servant, Liam!”

The blood drained from Liam’s face in an instant. 

“M-My duke, surely you don’t mean-?!”

“I’ve never been more serious! Who is more fit to receive the title than the man who’s worked his whole life to better the dukedom? I’ve been hiding this intention of mine, yes, but I’m afraid we may not get another chance to discuss it!”

“Impossible!” Duke Nightray interrupted, “It is unthinkable to simply hand away the position of duke to a mere servant! Have you gone mad, Duke Barma?!”

As Duke Barma was about to speak, the girl next to Charlotte suddenly butted in.

“Who even cares about something as pointless as that? If he wants to let his weird servant become nobility, why does it matter? It’s not _your_ house, old crow. He can do whatever he damn well pleases!”

Glares of ice came towards her from the other dukes. Did she even realize the magnitude of what she just did? The tattooed man next to her rested his hand on her shoulder, and she sat back, pouting. Sharon couldn’t believe it. 

“U-Um, I b-believe what she was trying to say,” Charlotte began, apparently doing damage control for the girl speaking out of line, “... was that in the lack of a proper heir, there is no problem with another blood member of house taking over. Indeed, if Mister Liam really does share a lineage with the duke, however distant, it would make his claim to the house valid. If no closer relatives are found, he would be next in line to inherit the role.”

“I-If I may…” Liam meekly spoke.

“You may.” Charlotte told him. 

“W… Well…” he muttered, pushing up his glasses, “it… it is true that I come from the Barma house, and my family has served them for generations, but the connection between us split long ago. I… I don’t even think I am qualified for such a thing.”

“Nonsense,” Duke Barma retorted, “If I believe you to be capable, then you are. Who would know better than I? I am the pinnacle of knowledge, after all. Don’t you have faith in that?”

Liam didn’t dare say a word. 

“... All right, it’s settled, then. Until a more direct descendant of the house is found, Duke Barma is set to pass the title of Duke to his servant, Liam.”

The Vessalius and Nightray dukes didn’t seem at all happy with that. 

“Moving along, the next matter of business is… for the Rainsworth household. Duchess Rainsworth, can you tell me about your plans for passing along the title to the heiress?”

Sharon froze. Everyone was staring at her now. 

“Sharon is a fine heiress. Her teachings are very nearly complete, and I believe she could take over for me right this moment and be a wonderful Duchess. She’s smart, knows how to make tough decisions, and her courage speaks volumes of her. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Charlotte smiled at that, but the other dukes seemed to mutter to each other. Sharon took a deep breath, preparing herself. 

“... Lady Cheryl is a duchess like no other. I may not be able to do everything she has done, but I will try my best to help the house and the city proper. I look forward to building positive relationships with the other houses.”

… Nailed it. The girl next to Charlotte whispered something to the tattooed man, but Sharon couldn’t tell what. Hopefully it was something good. 

“That’s great to hear. Miss Sharon, I can tell you’ll be a wonderful duchess.” Charlotte said. 

Sharon’s heart felt like it was going to fly. That was all she needed to hear. Even if she was scared out of her mind in a meeting of some of the most powerful people in the country, she did well. 

The rest of the meeting went by much smoother. Even though Sharon wasn’t particularly interested in hearing about the Nightray’s financial plans, she listened intently regardless, for it was something she’d have to get invested in at some point or another. Charlotte had said that the meeting would be brief… but perhaps she had a different idea of how long “brief” was than Sharon did. Eventually, though, they all wrapped up. Duke Vessalius followed Duke Nightray out, but the grungy man who came with him apparently decided to stay for the party. As Break started wheeling Cheryl out, Sharon was rebellious enough to ask-

“Cheryl, can we stay? Can I stay for the party?”

“No.” Duke Barma responded in an instant. That earned him another whack from Cheryl. 

“She didn’t ask you, fool. … Sharon, dear, it’s a special night. If you want to stay, we can stay. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a proper party, anyway.”

“Ah, thank you, thank you! Thank you so much!”

“You enjoy yourself, okay?”

And with that, Sharon darted down the hall. 

“... You won’t go with her, Break?”

“Ah, no, I think not,” Break said, waving his hands dismissively, “... I’m too much of an old man for this kind of thing, anyway.”

On her way down the halls, Sharon turned the corner to see Charlotte talking to the tattooed man from earlier. Not wanting to interrupt, she hid for a moment. 

“Geez, do you know how exhausting that kind of thing is? I feel like I need a back rub and a warm spa bath! I deserve that, don’t I?”

“... I can draw the water for you, if you like.”

“... I wasn’t serious, but now that you mention it, that sounds lovely.”

“By the way, where did you send Miss Alice off to?”

“Hm? She wanted to go eat at the party, and I saw no harm in it. Better for her to eat now than later. You know how her appetite is.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea? What if someone sees her acting unbecoming?”

“Well, it can’t be any worse than what she said to Duke Nightray. It’s not like anyone else knows much about her right now. I want to wait until she’s been properly taught before we say anything to the rest of the nobles. I feel like a bad big sister for saying this, but… for now, I don’t want to have to worry about all this.”

“... I understand. It’s important to let her experience things like this, too. They’ll make for fond memories.”

“Yeah! Yeah.”

“... Do you want to put Lily to bed with me?”

“That’d be wonderful.”

And with that, they left. 

‘Did… did I just spy on the Baskervilles…?!’ Sharon thought to herself, panicking. 

‘N-No! It’s alright! I just… overheard their conversation by mistake! And… it wasn’t anything important! Nothing at all! Y-Yes, I should just go to the ballroom like I planned, and totally forget all of that!’

… That helped solidify her conscience a little. Just a little. She marched through the halls, doing her best to purge her worries. When she arrived at the ballroom, there were tables and tables filled to the brim with exquisite foods, tables where the richest of the rich sat, and at the forefront of it all, a beautiful dance hall with couples holding each other and waltzing to the tune of an orchestra. Nearly instantly, Sharon spotted that girl from before- although, it’s not like she was exceptionally hard to pick out, given her completely inelegant way of exerting her presence in the room- and wondered if she should speak to her. There wasn’t anyone else in this room she knew, and so it could possibly be a good social avenue for her, especially if it turned out she was a Baskerville. Although… with the amount of food she was piling onto her plate, Sharon felt that even standing near her would make her look awful to any spectators. Even though her dress was black, prim, and perfect, her actions did nothing to reflect that image. Sharon approached her cautiously. 

“Um… excuse me, miss?”

The girl turned and shot her an indignant look.

“Huh? If you want the steak, you’re out of luck. I’m taking all of it. The chefs in this mansion are the only ones who can actually bother to get off their asses and cook it right, so there’s no way in hell I’m missing out on a plate of it when I have the chance.”

Yep. Absolutely barbaric. 

“T-That’s not… er… are you… Miss Alice?”

“Hm, so you’re after me instead? Do I have a new stalker, perhaps?”

“Absolutely not! I just… heard Miss Charlotte talking about you, is all!”

“... Oh, I remember you now. You were in the meeting. With the Rainsworths, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Let’s get a seat if you want to talk. I don’t like the way the people here are staring at me.”

Sharon followed Alice to the table. While Sharon sat like a proper lady, Alice leaned forward, elbows on the table, and apparently not seeing any issue with that. She dug into her food with a fierce kind of voracity, but stopped suddenly to speak.

“So, what did you want?”

“Er… nothing, particularly! I just… wanted to see the party for myself, and you were the only one I recognized around, so I thought I’d say hi. It’s important to introduce myself to other nobles right now.”

“I guess I get that. Already cozying up to the ones with the power, right?”

“N-No, it’s nothing like that! As a representative of the Rainsworth house, and its soon-to-be-duchess, I have to set a good image!”

“Is that so.” she said with a hint of disdain in her voice. Sharon wondered if she said something offensive, seeing that. 

“Yes… it’s… part of my duties, after all.”

Alice gave her a puzzled stare, almost as if she was being sized up.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“... And what would that be?”

“Hmm… Sitting in that meeting got me thinking. I don’t really get those dukes- and your duchess. Everyone throws up these fancy acts- or at least that’s what I think it is- but why? What’s the point?” 

“Huh? Whatever do you mean by that?”

“What does it all get them? Proof of their superiority? Favors from each other? Even worse- what if they’re just always like that? What if they _never_ drop the nice-nice facade, and all these families are just filled with pompous holier-than-thou’s who decided it was their job to run everything because they’re better than everyone else?”

“M-Miss Alice, you can’t speak about the dukedoms like that!”

“Why not?”

“It’s out of line! They’ve worked hard to achieve their status, and they do what’s best for everyone around them! Speaking ill of them is dishonorable towards all that effort! You don’t know what they go through for the good of all!”

“... Do they work harder than the ‘lowlifes’ on the farms, or the prostitutes who sell their bodies to live? Look at how they erupted in anger when that idiot-hair Barma duke tried to promote his servant- who’s definitely worked harder than he ever has- just because he might not have been family.”

“Well… um…”

“It’s all about the prestige of being ‘family’. If everything is decided by who’s family owned what… do people like you and I actually have any free will? Do we get to do what we want to do, or are we just conscripted into bullcrap like all our mothers and fathers before us?”

“...”

“I don’t get it. I don’t understand what a ‘family’ in that regard is supposed to be like. Why should something like that have any bearing over anything?”

… This Alice… was a completely strange woman. Nothing she said made any sense. She was so vulgar… but strangely eloquent, too. It’s as if she said every little thing that came to her mind without the slightest consideration of why she was saying it. Perhaps that was how she was able to speak out against Duke Nightray so freely. 

“Miss Alice… you’re really odd, aren’t you?”

Hearing that made her laugh, surprisingly.

“Maybe! If that’s what everyone else thinks, I guess I am. Lottie told me that I need to act like a more ‘proper woman’, but I never saw the merit of it. Seeing that meeting tonight told me that much. We’re different from the other houses, so why should we have to play their little game?”

“... Different? How are you different?”

“Well, Baskervilles aren’t chosen by blood. I don’t really know the details, but new members of the house are brought in through some kind of ceremony rather than who’s born to who. I mean, I say that, but my mother was a Baskerville, so I guess it goes both ways sometimes. Lottie says that’s rare, though. I just don’t get why her history has to tie me into crap like this.”

“Ah, so you _are_ a Baskerville! I was wondering why you were at that meeting with the others.”

“... What do you mean? That’s a stupid thing to say. I’m the duchess. Of course I had to show up.”

“...”

… What…? This uncultured, rude woman…?

“... Hey? Shalon- that’s your name, right? What’s with the stare?”

“Y…”

“Hm? Speak up. There’s quite a lot of people here, after all.”

“... Y-You? You’re the… the duchess…?”

“Well, yeah. Didn’t anyone mention that? Lottie, at least should hav-”

Sharon wasted nary a moment in bowing forth at the table.

“I’M SO SORRY, DUCHESS BASKERVILLE! Please forgive me for my arrogance! If I had known, I wouldn’t have said all those… oh my, please, please pardon my behavior! I’m not yet used to speaking to the other heads, and I…!”

“Wh- hey, what’s up with you? I told you I don’t like the formal act! That’s enough!”

“Oh, Duchess, I… I’m so sorry. I was so rude, and-”

“Stop that! Don’t call me ‘Duchess’. That’s way too formal. Just call me ‘Alice’!”

“... It’s…”

“Yeah?”

“‘Sharon’. It’s ‘Sharon’, Du-... Miss Alice.”

“Alright. I’ll try to remember that. You called me weird, but… you’re kind of weird, too, you know?”

“H-Huh? I… I’m not weird!”

“Sure you are. You seem so scared about all this formal crap going on- with the other dukes or with yourself, so you’re throwing up this charade to look polite. That’s pretty weird.”

“That’s common etiquette! You can’t just blurt out everything that pops into your mind! No wonder Miss Charlotte speaks for you.”

“... It would be nice if everyone here could just be honest. What do all those clowns really think about each other, under the masks and fancy suits they all wear?” 

“They probably think of each other as respected members of nobility! Even the ones that don’t like each other on a personal basis still end up respecting each other, I believe.”

“And what would they think of me, then?”

“Well… judging by Duke Nightray’s reaction… they probably don’t take you seriously because… er…”

“Mmm? Because what? You want to say something ‘rude’, don’t you? Go ahead. I won’t hurt you.”

For some reason, that didn’t comfort Sharon at all.

“I… I think... you act like a bit of a brute, especially for a duchess! Even Duke Barma, through all his antics, can still put on a respectable face for others and be genuine about it!”

“See? It’s nice when you can just trust your feelings to do the work for you, isn’t it? If everyone could be honest like that, all this official crap would be so much easier. I hate having to play games with people to figure out what they really mean. Wouldn’t you like to tell the other dukes that, too?”

Her reaction once again blindsided Sharon. If anything… Alice was predictable in being completely unpredictable. 

“I think I’d get my head lopped off if I did.”

Alice laughed at that, and for some reason, Sharon found herself giggling into her hand too. Before she was done, though, Alice rose, taking her plate and pushing in her seat. 

“Let’s get out of here. I’m not done eating, but… if I have to spend even a minute more in the presence of all these high-society weirdos, I’m going to lose my mind. I’ll just take this with me.”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. We can find that out.”

Although Sharon had come here for the party… something in her still wanted to follow Alice anyway. Should she oblige? Looking around, everyone seemed… so distant and alien to her. As much as she hated to admit it, there was probably no way she could talk to them- especially not like the way her and Alice had just talked.

“Come with me.” Alice said, extending her hand out. For once, she seemed to show some manners.

Sharon couldn’t help but smile. 

“You know… this really isn’t what I expected when I dreamt of finding a nice gentleman and holding their hand tonight.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing at all,” Sharon told her, rising and taking her hand, following Alice into the halls. 

Alice was quick around the twists and turns. Sharon lost her bearing of where she was quickly. Hopefully Alice could lead her out when they were done. She’d hate for someone like Charlotte to find her wandering around aimlessly. 

“Normally, I’d just go sneak all this food away in my room. But… I really don’t want to deal with my sister right now.”

“You have a sister?”

“Yeah. We’re twins, actually. But… if you think I’m strange, then you definitely wouldn’t enjoy meeting her much.”

“I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to be stranger than you, Miss Alice.”

“Heh… there’s a reason I was the one selected to become the new duchess and not her. Hopefully, you don’t have to ever see her and learn the reason for yourself.”

How horrifyingly ominous, Sharon thought.

“Ah, I got it. Let’s go to the balcony. Everyone’s cooped up inside with how cold it is and all, so it should be totally empty.”

“... Doesn’t that mean _we’ll_ be cold, then?”

“Tch. The difference is that we’re not thinskins.”

Sharon knew that definitely wasn’t true for her. Alice led her up the stairs, then down the corridor, and in a moment, out glass doors and onto the balcony looking over the Baskerville estate. Alice sat herself down, letting her legs hang off the platform, and Sharon knelt down next to her. From up here, Sharon could see the lines of houses in the distance, light spilling out of their windows. The greenery of the gardens, although dark, could be made out, and in the center of it all rose an odd-looking spire. 

“What’s that over there, Miss Alice?”

“You mean the tower? That’s my room.”

“... You, the duchess, don’t even live in your own mansion, but in a tower on the property instead?”

“Yep. I guess it might sound weird to you, but it was always pretty normal to me. I grew up in there. It wasn’t until my coming of age ceremony that they finally let me out of it.”

“So you were imprisoned in your own room for your whole childhood?!”

“... See, you saying it like that really does make it feel odd. Remember what I said about blood ties being rare in the Baskerville house? Normally the duke or duchess wouldn’t be chosen by just being born into it, but… after everything that happened, they didn’t really have a choice. I think they hated me because of that. So they put my sister and I in there.”

“Everything that happened? Like what?”

Alice looked somber and distant. She stared off into the night sky, not saying a word. 

“I… I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me.”

After a moment of silence, Alice turned and smiled. 

“Who cares about all that right now? Let’s just admire the night.”

With that, she started digging into her remaining food, taking huge bites of the meat, almost like a wild animal. Well, if she really grew up in a tower, it would be normal that no one ever taught her proper table manners. Maybe that was something for Sharon to do later. 

“You know…” Alice started, her mouth still full of food, “... Maybe I don’t acht like it, but sheeing all thosh carriches down the shtreet... and the whole manshion lit up… it really ish quite pretty.”

“Stop talking while you eat. That’s disgusting.”

Alice seemed surprised to hear that, and promptly shut up to focus on what was left of her dinner. Sharon took the time to appreciate that scenery herself. Several carriages were already navigating their way out. She had seen scenes like this whenever parties were hosted at the Rainsworth mansion, but… this must be quite rare for Alice to see. Knowing that made gazing upon it all a little more special in an odd, indescribable sort of way. Even though the moon had risen high, the night still felt quite young. Despite the calming feeling on the balcony, everything else felt charged with an anxious air of change. It was as if this small space was the sole bubble kept away from it all. The wind blew by, and brought an unpleasant chill with it. Sharon shivered, clutching her shoulders. Alice’s plate clattered as she set it down, and suddenly, she threw her arms around Sharon’s waist. 

“H-Hey, what are you doing?! Miss Alice?!”

“What? You looked like you were cold. Whenever people get cold, they do this, right?”

“Well, yes, I suppose, b-but…!”

“Is it warmer now?”

As much as she hated to admit it… Alice really _was_ warm. 

“... You really should be more careful, you know. If you ever did something like that to any other noble, they’d deem you a madwoman.”

“Well…” Alice pouted, “that’s their own damn problem. Besides, I can’t stand any of them long enough to ever end up in that position, anyway. I’m only doing it for you because I like you.”

“Thank you for the compliment, then.”

The surrounding tension seemed to melt away in the moments with Alice here. Despite her rash and uncivilized way of acting, she still managed to take a weight off of Sharon’s shoulders. She felt as if she could fall asleep like this, even with the frigid passing winds. 

“... Hey, Sharon.”

“Hm?”

“You’ll be back, right?”

“You want me to come here again?”

“Yeah. I’ve never really had friends before, and it was fun talking to you tonight. You’re a noble, sure, but you’re not like the others. It’s nice.”

“... I really enjoyed myself too, Miss Alice. I thought that tonight was going to be formal, and I had to make sure to present myself well and never slip up, but it ended up being… just another nice party.”

“I saved you from those haughty bastards, didn’t I?”

“They’re neither ‘haughty’ nor ‘bastards’! I would never think such vicious things.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll come around.”

“Miss Alice!”

Alice laughed again, and Sharon was sure there was something wrong with herself for finding it so endearing. With that out of the way, Alice was more than content taking in the scenes of the night with Sharon. Whenever Sharon shivered, Alice would grip her tighter- as if the strength of her hold was proportionate to her warmth. Sharon didn’t mind, although being this close to another woman she had barely met did feel bizarre. They didn’t need words right now. Watching the carriages depart from the estate and the lights in the houses blink out one by one was already enough. Here, they were hidden away in a quaint sort of comfort from everything else. Eventually, when enough of them had left and the houses went dark, Sharon turned to just look at Alice herself. Even though the light of the moon was dim, she noticed for the first time that Alice’s eyes were a deep purple. Perhaps it was because they were so close together that she finally took note of it. Staring into her felt... quite nice. 

“Say, Miss Alice…”

“Yeah?”

“... Do you th-”

“My lady!”

The sudden voice startled both of them. When Sharon turned, she saw Break standing at the door to the balcony. 

“Who’s this clown?” Alice scowled. 

“H-He’s no clown! That’s my valet! … Break, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve been looking all over for you, my lady. It’s getting far too late. Cheryl wants to return home.”

“Ah… forgive me, I hadn’t noticed the time…”

“Wait, are you leaving, Sharon?” Alice asked, a hint of a whimper in her voice.

“I-”

“My lady must return home at a proper hour. My condolences.” Break interrupted. 

Sharon dejectedly rose, out of Alice’s embrace. As she faced away, Alice grabbed her hand. 

“I’ll see you again, won’t I?”

When she turned back to her, Break took her other hand. 

“Y-Yes, of course!” she squeezed out before being pulled away by him. 

Alice stood still on the balcony, watching Sharon leave. 

“So, I see you’ve made a delightful new friend.” Break told Sharon as he guided her through the hall.

“... Yes. Her name is Alice. She’s a Baskerville. Do you know of her?”

“... No.”

“Um… I had a really nice time though, Break.”

“I’m sorry to have interrupted you, then. I’m sure Cheryl will love to hear of it.”

Was it just her, or was Break acting… different? 

“... Right.”

Whatever the case, Sharon knew one thing for sure. She had to come visit Alice again. 


	2. Correspondence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Sorry I've taken so long to update this one. But now it's here! I'll definitely try to keep on top of this more, so stick around and enjoy!

The night dimming, single light by single light… it should have been such a lonely and dissonant feeling, right? The night, from the start, was lonely. Sharon herself was lonely. The look in Alice’s eyes… was lonely. Why, then, did she feel so warm at the sight of it? The colder those winds became… the more she leaned into that hug, and the more the cold was staved away. It was so special, wasn’t it?

“...aron?”

Would she get to know it once more?

“Lady Sharon!”

Sharon popped up from her desk, and saw a rather confused servant staring right at her.

“O-Oh, forgive me, I hadn’t even noticed you there. What’s the matter?”

“Dinner is ready, my lady.”

“Of course. I’ll be right there.”

Still, though, the thought refused to leave her mind. 

Focus had eluded her. She had been thinking all night- not about the letter to the heir of the Nightray family that she needed to write, no- but about how she might manage to visit the Baskerville house again. Every time she had gone to Sablier before, it was never directly to the house itself. Cheryl was the only one who usually handled that. But… Charlotte seemed to admire her as an heiress, so… perhaps a formal request may not be so hard? Thinking about it for too long made the temples of her head ache, and filled her with anxiety. For now, she just… had to do what was told of her. 

“ _Elliot Nightray-_

 _It is with the honor of the Rainsworth household that I write this letter to you. The respect between our two houses is something I, myself, hold in only the highest esteem. I look forward to maintaining that relationship as I become duchess in the coming years. As we have yet to meet in person, I wish to request an invitation to come together and sh_ -” ...

… And… and what…? 

For a moment, Sharon forgot she was even writing at all, and her quill dragged along the parchment, bringing an awful streak across with it. When her eyes readjusted and she noticed what she had done, she sighed heavily, crumpling up the paper unceremoniously and tossing it behind her. 

“What on earth… is wrong with me lately?"

Before she could devise an answer to that question, a knock came to her door. She knew just by its tempo who it was.

“Come in, Break.”

Cautiously, he creaked the door open and poked his head through. 

“Is now a bad time?”

“Not at all. Is something the matter?”

“You stole the words right from my mouth, my lady. It’s my duty to worry for you, you know, and you’ve seemed quite ditzy all day. Even more so than me!”

“I suppose you would notice, wouldn’t you? I think I’m just… a bit overwhelmed with all these official matters. I feel like everything’s just going to get harder from here on out. A lady needs time to relax and not have to put on a facade all the time, right?”

That answer seemed to surprise Break.

“A ‘facade’? That kind of talk doesn’t sound like you at all.”

Sharon’s cheeks flushed red when she realized what she just said. 

“I… s-sorry… I guess I just blurted that out without even thinking about it.”

“Hm… how about you forget about those pithy Nightrays for a bit? I have a letter here for you. You should just relax for now.”

“A letter? From whom?”

“The Baskerville house. Perhaps it’s a follow-up of the other night? If it’s just business matters, pay it no heed for the time being. I’d rather you relax.”

“T-The Baskervilles!? Oh my! Give it here!”

“My, my, no manners tonight, huh?”

“... Please, Break, my dearest valet, allow me to examine the document you keep in your hands henceforth!” she told him, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“Hehe~! Here you are. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

She nearly ripped it out of his hands, and didn’t even have time to thank him before he left. Opening up, it became instantly obvious who the sender was. With handwriting in such a scribble and absolutely horrible grammar, it could only be her. 

“ _Sharen-,_

_for the ferst time ever i have fownd myself wryting a letter. you shuld be honerd!!! nun hav ever had the joy of such a treet befor!!! i am wryting this becuse i am making the encredibli jenerus ofer of invy inviting you to the baskervil manshun. please arive heer at noon on the twenti 25th and my manservent wil greet you and alow you in._

_i am looking forwerd to seing you agan._

_Alice Baskervil_ ”

Sharon’s chest pounded reading it. Of course, it may just be the most laughable letter she had ever received. The rudeness in expecting such a thing without even requesting a response... Alice certainly was entitled. And yet, Sharon didn’t mind. Not when she got the chance to see Alice again. 

Cheryl sat up from bed, watching Break carefully pour her tea. When he seemed satisfied with it, he handed it to her gingerly, and she took a few cautious sips to test it’s temperature, and then sighed. 

“... So she’s become friends with the Duchess?”

“That’s what I perceived, yes. My greatest apologies for not telling you until now. You seemed so exhausted upon your arrival home, and then to think that you had to deal with those conniving Nightrays immediately after… I just couldn’t find the time for it.”

“Now, now, Xerxes, it would do you good to keep your thoughts about them to yourself. Don’t make a habit of having a foul mouth.”

“... Yes, my lady. I’m sorry.”

Break allowed himself to be so bold to sit at the edge of her bed, leaning back and resting his weight on his arms.

“Now, about that duchess…” Cheryl prodded.

“If I’m to be completely forthcoming…” he hesitated, apparently gauging what he could say while still being respectful and in line, “I saw the two of them embracing each other on the balcony that night. Of course, I don’t like to jump to conclusions, but…”

“Then don’t.” Cheryl pointed out immediately, before taking more sips of her tea.

“Right.”

“But… what to do…? That certainly is worrying. Duchess Baskerville is…” she paused, taking a moment to swing her free hand around in the air to make a point, “well, I’m sure you can imagine all the colorful words I might use to describe her.”

Break allowed himself a chuckle.

“I suppose I can.”

“I don’t want to see her influencing Sharon. Charlotte is a fine woman, and a mature regent, but I’m not sure for how long she can keep her duchess’ foolish personality from souring relationships within the other houses. And if we were to get involved in that?”

“... Our reputation may as well be thrown out the window.”

“Exactly.”

“The Baskerville house delivered a letter to Sharon today. Of course, it’s not my place to ask her what it’s about, but I have a decent guess.”

“I’m sure you do. Well, you’re with her more than anyone else. I trust you can handle it and keep things from getting out of hand.”

“I haven’t yet told her what I know about the duchess. For now, I’ll just stay and watch. I’ll do my best, my lady.” Break said, rising back up slowly.

“Thank you.”

Break made very sure to bow before leaving her room.

“Please have the carriage ready before ten. The trip there takes long enough that I want to make sure we have downtime. Imagine the example I’d set if I arrived at a professional invitation late.”

The servant Sharon was berating nodded after every word. Sharon continued on, waving her finger around as she spoke.

“And keep yourself stationed nearby. The last time Break and I went out together, we had to wait nearly an hour for you to come back. I want no such repetition this time! Furthermo-”

“I heard my name, and so I have arrived!” Break announced, setting his hands on Sharon’s shoulders as she squeaked inelegantly in surprise. 

“Break!” Sharon shouted, swiveling around. “You can’t scare me like that! What if I ended up knocking something over?!”

The servant that Sharon was lecturing took the moment to slip away into the hall unnoticed. 

“My, I hadn’t thought of that- not at all, certainly!”

Understanding that she was being teased, Sharon pouted.

“Anyhoo, what’s this I heard about? Going somewhere?”

Sharon froze up, her cheeks flushing.

“W-Well, yes… yes I am.”

“Care to tell me about it?” Break asked cheekily, starting to walk down the hall. Sharon followed along, twiddling her thumbs together. 

“... Um… well… I’ve been invited back to the Baskerville mansion… on business…”

“What kind of business, if I may be so bold to ask?” he said, waving his oversized sleeves around, as if to ease Sharon.

“It was an invitation from Miss-” Sharon stopped. She recalled how distant Break seemed that night of the party. Perhaps the idea of her being chummy with a girl from a house that nobody seemed to talk about fondly had made him wary…? Going over to the Baskerville house for teatime and cake wasn’t something anyone ever did, after all. Sharon cleared her through and continued. “... f-from Miss Charlotte.”

Break turned his head back towards her, not saying anything for a moment. 

“Ooooh~? What does she want with you? Hopefully she’s not after your stunning looks, millady.”

“N-No! Nothing like that!” Sharon felt awful, lying to Break like this, but… what if he wouldn’t allow her to go otherwise? “... She wanted to... discuss my plans after I inherit the house. She seems awfully concerned with the continued plans of the four other houses… but I suppose this is just a responsibility I have to allow myself to get used to.”

Break turned his head back forward, apparently content with that answer.

“That sounds interesting. Indeed it does. And surely, I will be accompanying you there.”

Sharon seized up once more.

“W-What? No, you don’t have to go! I’ll have a servant there, and Miss Charlotte said that her servants would assist me, after all!” Sharon sputtered, clutching at her chest.

“You’re still an heiress, my lady, and we can’t have you going to the Baskerville house unsupervised by a Rainsworth servant. Haven’t you always talked about the dangers inherent with people desiring another house’s power? You never know who may use you, after all.”

Sharon’s stomach sank, hearing her own mantra used against her like that.

“I… I suppose you’re right, Break, but…”

“Then it’s settled!” he said, spinning around to face her and smiling as wide as he could. “I will accompany you to the Baskerville mansion when you depart. What day did Miss Charlotte arrange for?”

She knew there was no protesting now, and allowed herself to sigh.

“... This Thursday at noon. The carriage will be leaving at ten to allow for the travel time.”

“Sounds perfect to me! I’ll take my leave now and allow you to your own devices. Don’t forget about the letter you need to write to young Elliot, too!”

“W-Wait, Break-”

“Byeeee!” he said, slipping into the nearest room in the hall and closing the door. When Sharon followed after him, all she saw was a completely empty gathering room.

“... I’ll never understand how he does that.” she muttered to herself. 

* * *

“Are you sure I look fine?” Sharon asked, staring at herself as close as she could in the mirror to try and pinpoint any flaws. 

“My lady, you always look wonderful.” Break told her, tapping his foot against the ground.

“If I simply look like I always do, then I do not look good enough.”

“Oh, hush with that. You look every bit as nice as you did the first time they saw you.”

“... Good. I wouldn’t want to soil their impression of me after I tried so hard before.”

“And to be frank… waiting any longer doing your makeup may eat up the time we save by leaving early. Let’s hurry and be off, shall we?”

“R-Right! Yes, yes we shall.” She said, jumping out of her chair, hastily gathering anything else she might need and stuffing them into her purse.

This time, the ride to Sablier felt completely different. Excitement welled up in Sharon’s chest, so much so that she could barely contain it. It had only been just over a week since she met her new friend, but the thought of seeing her again made her shiver in anticipation. Break didn’t attempt to make small talk, though, so Sharon simply opted to stare out the window again, noting all the things she couldn’t before in the darkness. Soft greenery from the trees transitioned gradually into small houses with children playing around out front into the edges of the city, and then finally into complexes while the bustling of the city life went on all around her. The closer to the capital they got, the more the quality of life around them seemed to improve. Soon, no one in the street was without a nice suit and elegant dress, and the buildings shone as though made of gold. The golden capital of Sablier was strikingly beautiful during the daytime, and it wasn’t long before they finally arrived in front of that magnificent mansion once more. 

As soon as Sharon stepped out of the carriage, the door to the mansion opened. There stood two servants who she immediately recognized from the conference that had taken place before- one tall man with wavy black hair, and a shorter boy with messy blonde hair. Break followed her up the steps, and the tall servant greeted her.

“You must be Miss Sharon Rainsworth. We welcome you to the Baskerville mansion.” he said, bowing to her. The blonde next to him bowed with him.

“It’s a pleasure to be here. Sablier is so beautiful.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it. Oz here will guide you to our lady.”

The blonde boy beckoned for Sharon to follow him, and Break began to follow suit, before the black haired one stopped him.

“You must be Miss Sharon’s valet.”

“Right you are.”

“Would you mind staying here in the lobby with me while Miss Sharon meets with our lady? We didn’t expect to have other visitors today, but we can get you whatever you need while you wait.”

“... I would mind, actually. I’m not much of a valet if I don’t accompany my lady during her business.”

“Please,” the tall servant insisted, “We take great pride in our servants, and they will make sure Miss Sharon is accommodated for.”

Break seemed to be about to protest more, but Sharon interjected.

“Break, it’s fine. We’re guests here, after all.”

He waited for a moment, sizing up the situation.

“Well, if you insist, my lady. I wouldn’t want to leave a bad impression in your name.” he said, resigning.

And with that, Sharon followed Oz’s, leaving Break behind with the other servant.

“Don’t mind Gil,” Oz told her reassuringly, “he’s just trying his best to be formal and put on a good image. He doesn’t usually talk like that normally. You should see how him and Alice get at each other’s throats.”

Sharon laughed at that.

“Break’s the same way. His way of talking in private is truly eccentric, but he gets so serious whenever I’m involved. It’s necessary for some of us to put up airs, I suppose.”

“Yeah, Alice says the same thing! She never learned how to act differently around others, though. She just treats everyone the same. I was really surprised when she told me she made a friend. I was sure no one would be able to stand her besides Gil and I, haha.”

“Is that so? Well, she certainly is… vulgar, but perhaps that’s part of her charm.”

Hearing that comment from Oz made Sharon feel warm. So, she was special for being able to befriend Alice, was she? It was nice to think about. Oz led her through a path she hadn’t yet explored in this mansion, and eventually they came out the back of it. It was that scene she looked upon from the balcony- thick trees surrounding a tall tower. The tower seemed much larger up close, and it gave off such an intimidating air that she had no idea how Alice lived in it for so long. Oz stopped at the entrance, beckoning to Sharon.

“I’ll be waiting here if you need anything.”

“Ah, are you sure?”

“Definitely. It’s my job, after all. I don’t mind it!”

Sharon accepted that, but she still had trouble setting foot into the tower. She was so nervous. But… she did her best to shake her worries from her mind. 

‘I’m simply meeting with a friend again, after all. There is nothing to be afraid of,’ telling herself that over and over, she walked into the tower and up its circling spiral staircase. With every step up, her heart seemed to beat even faster. Although, she supposed that could simply be because these stairs went on forever, and climbing them was tiring. That’s what would be easier to think, anyway. When she arrived at the top… she was surprised to see a wonderfully furnished room with everything a young girl might need. It seemed to be divided into two halves, and on the left half… was Alice, in a pretty but casual black dress, sitting at a desk and scribbling something onto parchment. As soon as Sharon stepped in, Alice turned, and her face lit up.

“Sharon!”

She dropped her quill without a second thought and ran up to Sharon, grabbing her hands and lifting them up. Of course, the action made Sharon blush intensely. 

“I’m glad you came, Sharon! Did you enjoy my letter? I had doubts that the moronic mongrel messenger that seaweed head hired would deliver it properly, but it looks like it all worked out. Yes, I bet you framed it above your bed as a testament to its greatness!”

Sharon couldn’t help but giggle. Maybe she was just happy to see Alice again.

“Oh, it was certainly something alright. It was nice of you to invite me back, though. I had started to miss you, I’m afraid.”

Alice paused for a moment, staring at Sharon with wide eyes. Sharon could have sworn for a moment that Alice’s cheeks had started to flush. In only a second, though, she puffed her chest out and boasted.

“But of course! No one could dare decline an invitation from the great Alice! Lottie’s been teaching me how to read, and so it was only natural that I became so fearsomely adept so quickly! Ah, but enough of that, here, take a seat!” she started, letting go of Sharon and skipping over to her bed. “Here, here.”

Sharon sighed. 

“You know, inviting a noble into your room and then onto your bed would get you titled with some very interesting words if I was anyone else.” she lectured, following Alice’s cue and sitting next to her. Her bed was surprisingly soft. 

“You already told me something like that before, but like I said then, it doesn’t matter, because you’re not someone else, right?”

“I suppose that’s true. But Miss Alice, now that you mentioned learning how to read and all, I must ask- how old are you exactly?”

The question seemed to catch her off guard, and she took a moment to think.

“... Well… my coming of age ceremony must have been… about three years ago now, or a little over that. They usually hold those when you’re fifteen, right? So…” she counted on her fingers, her brow furrowing, “... that means I’m eighteen!” she proclaimed, apparently proud of herself for her skill of basic addition.

Sharon’s first instinct was to be shocked, but… if Alice’s family really left her so unsupervised in this tower, it only made sense that they never taught her things that might come as basic to others.

“Ah, I see. I just had my twenty-fourth birthday only a month ago myself!”

“Haha, you’re pretty ancient, then, aren’t you?”

… Sharon reminded herself how much she valued her patience. 

Alice shuffled, turning and laying down in her bed, kicking her feet up and resting her legs in Sharon’s lap. Sharon’s immediate instinct was of course surprise, but if their last encounter was anything to go by, Alice certainly didn’t perceive physical contact to be as taboo as Sharon did, and so she simply let herself rest an arm on Alice’s legs. She mentally thanked the fact that Alice had worn such a long dress, not even being able to imagine the taboo of seeing her legs past the knee in a position like this. 

“So… why did you invite me here, Miss Alice? Was there something you wanted to discuss?”

Alice looked at her as if she had said something incredibly strange.

“I need a reason? I just wanted to be with you again. It feels nice, and I like it, so I invited you back.”

Every single thing Alice said was utterly stupefying, as always. 

“... I should have expected as much.”

“I did think about things we could do, though! I could show you around the grounds, we could have one of the chefs make us a banquet, or we could go catch bugs. I actually cleaned up this room just to prepare for your arrival. I usually never do something as inane and pointless as that. You should feel honored, really!”

All of those things very much did seem like things Alice would like, Sharon supposed.

“I certainly am, don’t worry. But… What about your sister? I thought she lived in this tower too. I was wondering if I was actually going to meet her on my way up here.”

“Oh, she’s with Lottie right now! I told her I didn’t want her to stick her nose into my business and interfere with my esteemed guest, and whine cries of torment as she may, she still agreed to my terms and sulked away for the time being.”

Sharon found herself absentmindedly petting Alice’s as they spoke.

“Well, I guess I should be grateful for that, given what you told me about her. We’ll leave that meeting for another day. Is she as, er… vulgar as you?”

Alice sat up, crossing her arms.

“Oh? Have you finally gotten more comfortable with insulting me?”

Sharon’s cheeks lit up.

“N-No, I meant no such thing!”

“... Hehe, I know. Luckily for you, my forgiveness is boundless and my generosity immeasurable~! To answer your question, no, of course not. I don’t think she’d dare speak out if someone offered her a life supply of meat for it. Kind as I am, I’ve tried to expel her pathetic and wimpy ways out of her, but for some reason, she refuses my advice.”

“... I can only imagine why.”

“Me too! But as feeble as she is… well, to put it lightly, she’s definitely insane. She used to act very sweet to others, and Lottie even considered appointing her duchess, as she couldn’t yet see my amazing qualities and natural status above others. I forgive her, though. At some point, though… my sister ended up just... losing it. She treats life as if it’s some sort of playtime or storybook, and once, a servant tried to take away one of her dolls, and… actually, it’s probably best if I don’t tell you that story.”

“Perhaps so.” Sharon replied, feeling a shiver run up her back. 

“Well, she’s much less trouble now. Lottie deals with her most of the time, and she also has a fondness for my manservant, Oz, that tends to keep her in check.”

“... You know, Miss Alice…” Sharon started, studying Alice’s expression as she spoke, “how… do you manage to talk about such strange things so casually?”

The question seemed to confuse Alice, and she leaned back on her arms.

“What are you talking about?”

Sharon looked down at her lap, attempting to figure out how to say what she wanted to carefully.

“Well, everything, really. Growing up in a tower without anyone to talk to… having a sister like that… your family having some sort of selection process instead of being related to each other… your life seems so fundamentally different from mine that it’s hard to even think about it.”

Alice continued to stare as Sharon went on.

“Sure, I was born into wealth… but I never had any doubts about my family. I was educated well, socialized with the other children of the noble families, loved by my mother and grandmother… and that seems normal to me. But life here- in the Baskerville mansion… it hardly feels real the more you tell me. Isn’t that odd?”

When Sharon looked back up, she didn’t expect to see Alice looking so… hurt. Before she could say anything, though, Alice spoke first.

“How couldn’t it be normal to me? I’m not part of some high society perfect life like you seem to be saying you’re from.”

Alice moved her legs off Sharon’s lap, closing up her posture as she continued.

“I’m used to people calling me weird, and I don’t mind it at all… but, when you talk of my life so harshly… I think… I think your life sounds weirder to me! I don’t know what you mean when you talk about your family… but… does it even matter, Sharon? Are you trying to prove that you’re better than me or something?”

“N-No, I didn’t mean to offen-”

“Well, you look like you’re trying pretty hard! What’s the point of that kind of family you’re talking about? Some comfy aristocrat life where everyone fawns over each other every hour of the day in pointless love rituals? Doesn’t that sound pathetic to you?”

“Stop, that’s not what I…” Sharon panicked, starting to wave her hands around.

“Everybody is always telling me how my mother’s death ‘ruined everything’ around here! The duke, like the cowardly scum he was, fled away after she died and left me to be the only one to inherit everything! And everyone here detests me for it! What good that ‘family’ turned out to be! The only ‘family’ I have is a sister so hopelessly out of her mind that I’ll be surprised if she lives to twenty! What’s wrong with you?!”

“Miss Alice…!” Sharon cried- almost instinctively, “I… I’m… please forgive me, I…” she stuttered, realizing immediately what a grave mistake raising her voice to a duchess was.

Instead of commanding her away or punishing her, though… Alice just wiped her eyes, staring at Sharon like a helpless kitten.

“Why, pray tell… is it so rehensible to you that I lived this way…? I had no say in it, Sharon…”

“Miss Alice, I meant no such thing… I simply… found your way of life so different from mine that it was curious to me. Your life does sound difficult, that I will not doubt… but that says nothing about you. After all, I’ve only known you for a week, and I already want to learn more about you. I was so happy to come here today not because improving my house’s relationship with the Baskervilles is important, but… because it meant I got to see you more. Our parting was cut off rather abruptly, and I was excited to make up for lost time!”

Alice brought a hand to her head, rubbing her forehead in circles and staring down. 

“... It’s… hard for me to understand these kinds of things, Sharon. It just… hurts.”

At that, likely in one of her whims, she flopped back down in bed, turning on her side and curling up.

“Here. I’ll allow you to lay next to me.”

… Did Alice really realize what she was asking Sharon to do? It dumbstruck her.

“W… Why do you want me to do s-something like that, Miss Alice…?”

“This is just what people do when they feel like this, right? My sister does it all the time. Whenever she cries or gets upset, Lottie or my manservant comes in and holds her, and in a few minutes, she feels better. I’m generous enough to offer you the chance, so accept it!” she said, closing her eyes and pouting, apparently waiting for Sharon.

Alice seemed to be very insistent upon this. Sharon admitted that what Alice said was true, but… Sharon wasn’t Alice’s caretaker or even a close relative. To her, a fellow noblewoman, there was only one implication that doing something like that would imply, as embarrassed as she was to think about that. Still, she realized that she probably wouldn’t be able to refuse without hurting Alice’s feelings further, and in her situation, that was the last thing she wanted. Swallowing her hesitation, she draped herself beside Alice, being careful to not lay on Alice’s dress too much. Cautiously, she brought one arm over Alice’s waist, under her arm, and to her surprise, Alice grabbed it and held it to her. Just like the night they met… Alice was soft and warm. Something new she noticed, though, hugging her from behind like this… was that Alice’s hair smelled so nice.

“... My sister was right to do this. It does feel nice. Perhaps she’s not as much of a blithering moron as I made her out to be.”

“I’m glad I could help you feel better, no matter how little. And… I’m deeply sorry for making you talk about something painful to you…”

“It’s not painful. I don’t mind talking about it that much, really. But whenever I do, it makes me feel estranged- like people think less of me. They should know how mighty and great I am, but… saying anything about how my family treats me ruins that image. At my coming of age ceremony, I talked about my mother and the last duke… and everyone looked at me like I was a fool! It was so shameful. I wanted to rend everyone apart with a scythe right then, just to set an example of what happens to those who mock me.”

“... I don’t think you’re a fool,” Sharon comforted, frankly not knowing at all how to respond to Alice’s murderous comment, “I don’t think that at all. Nothing that’s happened to you is your fault! Talking about it doesn’t lower my image of you at all. Indeed, you’re the magnificent Baskerville duchess! Nothing can change that.”

Alice sighed in relief hearing that. Sure, Sharon was just stroking her ego, but at this moment, it just seemed like Alice needed it.

“... Every so many years, they hold a ritual to elect a new duke. They’re carefully chosen by the previous duke and all their closest allies. My mother was the new duke’s sister. This may sound strange to you, but the old duke is usually killed when the new duke proves he can take on the responsibility sufficiently. But… before that could happen, my mother got pregnant. The old duke was my father. Only shortly after he died, my mother gave birth to my sister and I. She died in the process, though. Then… the new duke disappeared before he even had any inkling of who would be the next duke. Everyone ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, I’m told, before they finally decided that I, the closest relative to the duke, would succeed him. But… well, you can guess for yourself what happened from then on.”

Sharon squeezed Alice a bit, nestling her head into her shoulder. She couldn’t believe Alice was giving away secrets about the Baskervilles so easily, but if anything, it made her feel trusted.

“You didn’t deserve those kinds of expectations put on you, Miss Alice.”

“Maybe. But it doesn’t mean I’m not fit for them. I know I’ll be a powerful duchess, feared by all… as soon as Lottie stops calling herself my regent, that is. All of these nobles talk to each other in meaningless requests and passive aggressive action. Perhaps what the Baskerville house needs is someone who’s willing to tell that damned old crow Nightray bastard to shut his can when he gets too big for his britches. I hope Lottie realizes that.”

Sharon couldn’t help but giggle at that.

“And those Vessalius brats, too. Every time I see that tophat-wearing lowlife, I want to beat his face in.”

“... You mean Zai Vessalius?”

“Yeah. My manservant was a Vessalius, you know. And seaweed head used to live with them, too.”

“What?! Your servants were members of the Vessalius household?!” Sharon recoiled, only for Alice to pull her back in. There was no escape from her grip, of course.

“Yeah. It’s complicated, and he hates to talk about it, so never mention it to him. One of the family’s branches had a prostitute in it who was expelled from the family. My mother and the duke were apparently friends with him. Lottie told me about it. That man ended up… servicing the tophat fool’s wife. Maybe for revenge, or maybe he was awful at simply keeping it in his pants like a pervert. Once all of it came to light, he disowned the child, and Lottie took him and his servant in here because of his father’s relationship to the duke.” 

“... I can’t believe I never heard of this. Although, I suppose it makes sense that the Vessalius family would want to cover something like that up. It’s nice that they were able to live here, then.”

“Of course, I own them much more than Lottie or anyone else around here does. My manservant is a bit of a ditz, and seaweed head and I fight a lot, but… they’re my trusted comrades.”

“It’s never caused any problems with them?”

“If they don’t like it, they can say it to our faces. Maybe someone will finally let me tell them what they deserve if they do, and Lottie can stop saying everything for me and shutting me up during the conferences.”

Sharon hesitated. 

“It definitely was… startling… to hear you talk like that during the meeting we were in. Even more so when I found out you were the duchess, but… it’s true that you’ve never said anything that was actually wrong. Perhaps you’re just more courageous than the rest of us.”

Alice held Sharon’s hand to her chest, rubbing the joints on her fingers in circles, apparently deep in thought.

“Maybe. I think everyone expects me to be more like the previous duke or my mother. But… there’s no way I could ever do that… when I didn’t even know them.”

Sharon tightened her squeeze, as if it was an attempt to apologize to Alice for how the others here seemed to treat her.

“... Lacie. That was my mother’s name, you know. It’s… really similar to my name, isn’t it? When I learned how to spell it, I couldn’t help but notice that. Part of me thinks… they named me that on purpose. Because they wanted me to replace her. Of course, I couldn’t...”

Alice’s breathing seemed to shake. Cautiously, Sharon reached her hand up to Alice’s cheek… and felt it to be wet.

“Hey, Sharon.” Alice eked out.

“... Yes, Miss Alice…?”

“Let’s just shut up and just focus on this holding thing. It’s nice, but maybe talking about things like this isn’t really helping it.”

“Of course… yes, of course. I’ll keep holding you as long as you like me to.”

“Thanks.” Alice said, her voice cracking.

Sharon curled her legs, properly spooning Alice and being as close to her as she could. In return, Alice gripped her arm tight, squeezing her and keeping Sharon locked to her. Not that Sharon minded, though. The more she felt it… the more she started to really enjoy being physically close with Alice like this. Her bed was so soft, and Alice was so comforting… she could fall asleep in here if she didn’t pay attention. Then again… maybe sleeping with Alice in her arms wasn’t so bad, she thought. She could stay like this forever if she was allowed to.

* * *

Sharon kept on staring out the window- a staple of her carriage rides recently. Yet… she couldn’t focus at all on what was passing by. Indeed, it served better to function as a void to project her thoughts into than anything else. When the streetlights flickered on, it clouded her mind, and the distraction made it hard to focus on what she was really thinking of.

“Did you have a nice time, millady?” Break asked.

“...”

“Millady?”

“...”

Break nudged Sharon with the tip of his cane, and she flinched strongly, turning to Break looking irritated.

“What? What is it, Break?”

“I was simply asking how your visit went. No need to get snappy, now.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t listening.”

“You don’t say?”

“It…” she muttered, fidgeting with her hands again, “It was nice. Really nice.”

“What did you and Miss Charlotte speak of? It was certainly bound to be much more interesting than my conversations with that servant, I’m sure.”

“Huh? What do you-” she stopped herself, realizing her mistake, “Oh! Right! Miss C-Charlotte and I… said that we want to improve the relationship between our two houses as time goes on. The Baskervilles rarely engage with us beyond any official matters once in a blue moon… so I suggested that we remedy that. She seemed to be pleased with that. She’s… a fine regent, yes.”

Break seemed to stare at her for a moment, as if he was judging what she had just said. However, not a second later, he clapped his hands together and smiled.

“Well, that sounds wonderful. I’m just an old man, so I may not be around long enough to see such a thing, but I trust that it will be quite beneficial for both of our houses, then!”

“D-Don’t say something like that, Break… that’s far too depressing for me.”

“Of course, of course. My apologies.”

Sharon turned back to the window again, zoning out almost immediately. She definitely couldn’t carry conversations right now, that was for sure.

Not when the only thing she could think about was Alice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These girls are just getting gayer and gayer. Well, it's my writing, after all, so of course it has to go this way.
> 
> Also, I made a PH server! Join it here > https://discord.gg/5B62Jaf

**Author's Note:**

> Sharon and Alice are quite different people. How will their relationship develop~?
> 
> [I'm not calling him "Reim". You can pry "Liam" out of my cold, dead hands.]


End file.
